Cathode ray storage tube having a target dielectric provided with collector electrode segments extending therethrough

Abstract

A cathode ray storage tube provided with a storage target having a multiplicity of segments of the collector electrode extending through the dielectric layer of the storage target. These segments comprise glass beads secured together and to a surface of an insulating support plate, a conductive collector electrode coating is applied onto the support plate surface and glass bead segments and then the storage dielectric layer is applied thereover which has proper thickness so that the segments extend above the dielectric thereby providing collector areas for collecting secondary emitted electrons from the dielectric.

The invention is claimed in accordance with the following: 
     
       1. A cathode ray storage tube for storing written information comprising: an envelope having a storage target;   means for generating a high velocity electron beam toward said storage target including means for controlling the movement of said high velocity electron beam over said storage target in accordance with input signals to establish a charge pattern thereon corresponding to the input signals;   means for directing low velocity electrons over said storage target with the low velocity electrons being attracted to said charge pattern causing secondary electrons to be emitted from said charge pattern; and   collector electrode means provided by said storage target for collecting said secondary electrons, said storage target comprising a dielectric support member having an array of micro-sized dielectric bead means secured to an inner surface of said support member, a conductive coating disposed over said inner surface and said array of dielectric means with each of said array of dielectric means having a somewhat conical configuration, said conductively-coated array defining said collector electrode means, and a layer of storage dielectric material on said conductive coating with apices of said collector electrode means extending outwardly from an outer surface of said layer of storage dielectric material.   
     
     
       2. A cathode ray storage tube according to claim 1 wherein said dielectric support member is glass. 
     
     
       3. A cathode ray storage tube according to claim 1 wherein said array of dielectric means comprises micro-sized glass beads. 
     
     
       4. A cathode ray storage tube according to claim 1 wherein said array of dielectric means comprises micro-sized glass beads secured to said inner surface by glass frit. 
     
     
       5. A cathode ray storage tube according to claim 1 wherein said conductive coating is transparent. 
     
     
       6. A cathode ray storage tube comprising: a target including a dielectric support member, an array of dielectric micro bead means secured onto an inside surface of said support member, a conductive coating covering said inside surface and said array of dielectric micro bead means, and a layer of storage dielectric material on said conductive coating, ends of the conductively-coated array of dielectric micro bead means extending outwardly from an outer surface of said layer of storage dielectric material defining collector electrode means;   means for providing said conductive coating with a predetermined voltage level so that said collector electrode means provides an equipotential area along said outer surface of said layer of storage dielectric material substantially equal to said predetermined voltage level; and   means for emitting and directing a high velocity beam of electrons toward said target for establishing a charge pattern on said layer of storage dielectric material and for emitting and directing low velocity electrons over said target for driving selected areas of said dielectric storage layer toward one of two stable potentials to retain the charge pattern on said target.   
     
     
       7. A cathode ray storage tube according to claim 6 wherein the distance between centers of said collector electrode means where they extend outwardly from said outer surface of said storage dielectric layer is effectively less than the diameter of the high velocity beam of electrons. 
     
     
       8. A cathode ray storage tube according to claim 6 wherein said collector electrode means have a somewhat conical configuration. 
     
     
       9. A cathode ray storage tube comprising: an insulating support member having an inner surface provided with an array of protrusions in the form of glass beads secured thereonto;   a conductive coating disposed on said array of protrusions with the conductively-coated protrusions defining collector electrodes having outer ends;   a dielectric layer extending along said insulating support member and having said collector electrodes extending through said dielectric layer and said outer ends thereof extending outwardly from an outer surface of said dielectric layer, said dielectric layer being continuous except where interrupted by said collector electrodes;   means for directing an electron beam toward said target for establishing a charge pattern on said dielectric layer; and   means for directing low velocity electrons onto said target for driving selected areas of said target toward one of two stable potentials.   
     
     
       10. A cathode ray storage tube according to claim 9 wherein said collector electrodes are electrically interconnected to provide adjacent said outer surface of said dielectric layer an area having a substantially equipotential. 
     
     
       11. A storage target for a cathode ray tube comprising: an insulative support member having a substantially smooth and nonanomalous surface;   an array of micro-dielectric bead means secured onto said smooth and nonanomalous surface;   conductive coating means provided over said array of micro-dielectric bead means defining collector electrode means each of which has inner end means at said surface and outer and means; and   dielectric storage layer means extending along said surface with said collector electrode means extending through said dielectric storage layer means and said outer end means extending outwardly beyond an outer surface of said dielectric storage layer means.   
     
     
       12. A storage target according to claim 11 wherein said surface is planar. 
     
     
       13. A storage target according to claim 11 wherein said surface is curved. 
     
     
       14. A storage target according to claim 11 wherein said insulative support member is transparent. 
     
     
       15. A storage target according to claim 11 wherein said conductive coating means extends over said surface thereby interconnecting said collector electrode means. 
     
     
       16. A storage target according to claim 15 wherein said conductive coating means is transparent. 
     
     
       17. A storage target according to claim 11 wherein said array of micro-dielectric bead means comprises dots having a somewhat conical configuration. 
     
     
       18. A storage target according to claim 11 wherein said array of micro-dielectric bead means comprises continuous segments. 
     
     
       19. A storage target according to claim 11 wherein said array of micro-dielectric bead means comprises discontinuous segments. 
     
     
       20. In a cathode ray storage tube having electron beam generating means for directing an electron beam onto a target in the tube, and flood gun generating means for directing flood electrons over the target for driving selected areas of such target toward one of two stable potentials. the improvement comprising: an insulating support member having a smooth and nonanomalous surface facing said electron beam and flood gun generating means;   a pattern of segments of glass beads secured to said surface;   a conductive coating over the segments of glass beads defining collector electrodes having outer ends extending toward said electron beam and flood gun generating means; and   a dielectric layer located on said insulating support member which includes said collector electrodes, said layer having a thickness such that said collector electrodes extend through said layer and said outer ends thereof extend outwardly beyond an outer surface of said layer facing said electron beam and flood gun generating means so that said outer ends provide an equipotential area along said outer surface of said dielectric layer.